DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  INTERIOR 

BUREAU  OF  EDUCATION 


BULLETIN,  1923,  No  48 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  CONSOLIDATING 
THE  RURAL  SCHOOLS  OF  BEAUFORT 
COUNTY,  NORTH  CAROLINA 


(A  DIGEST  OF  THE  REPORT) 


By 


KATHERINE  M.  COOK  and  E.  E.  WINDES 


WASHINGTON 

goveri^ent  printing  office 
1923 


ADDITIONAL  COPIES 

OF  THIS  PUBLICATION  MAY  BE  PROCURED  FROM 
THE  SUPERINTENDENT  OF  DOCUMENTS 
GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

AT 

5  CENTS  PER  COPY 

PURCHASER  AGREES  NOT  TO  RESELL  OR  DISTRIBUTE  THIS 
COPY  FOR  PROFIT. — PUB.  RES.  67,  APPROVED  MAY  11,  1922 

V 

n 


/  a 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 


Some  findings  of  the  preliminary  study  of  general  and  school  conditions _  1 

General  conditions _  1 

School  attendance _ 2 

Relation  of  age  to  grade  in  which  enrolled _  3 

The  teaching  staff _ 5 

School  supervision _  6 

High-school  facilities _  7 

Buildings  and  equipment - 8 

Conclusions  based  on  a  study  of  the  school  system - —  9 

Some  essentials  of  an  improved  school  system -  11 

The  possibilities  for  a  county-wide  centralization  program -  11 

The  cost  of  centralization  is  not  prohibitive -  19 

Summary  of  recommendations - 22 

m 


NCC 

3WI 


„  .Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2019  with  funding  from 
University- of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


https://archive.org/details/suggestionsforco03cook 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  ORGANIZING  THE  SCHOOLS  OF 

BEAUFORT  COUNTY,  N.  C. 


The  following  is  a  digest  of  the  report  made  orally  to  the  board 
of  education  and  the  superintendent  of  schools  of  Beaufort  County, 
N.  C.  The  report  is  the  result  of  an  investigation  of  the  schools  of 
the  county  made  by  Mrs.  Katherine  M.  Cook,  specialist  in  rural  edu¬ 
cation,  and  Mr.  E.  E.  Windes,  assistant  in  rural  education,  under  the 
direction  of  the  Commissioner  of  Education,  Department  of  the  In¬ 
terior,  at  the  request  of  the  county  board  of  education,  for  the  pur¬ 
pose  of  studying  the  possibilities  for  centralizing  the  schools  of  the 
county  and  of  recommending  a  definite  plan  of  procedure  for  school 
consolidation.  No  complete  investigation  of  the  quality  of  instruc¬ 
tion  given,  course  of  study  used,  or  other  factors  entering  into  a 
complete  survey  of  the  system  was  requested  or  made.  The  study 
contemplates  only  the  desirability  and  feasibility  of  consolidating 
the  schools. 

The  committee  had  in  mind  in  making  the  study  three  major  ques¬ 
tions:  (1)  Aj*e  present  school  conditions  satisfactory  or  are  school 
facilities,  attendance,  quality  of  instruction,  and  the  like  such  that 
improvement  of  the  kind  usually  brought  about  by  centralization  is 
desirable?  (2)  What  are  the  possibilities  for  consolidation  and  can 
a  sane  county-wide  plan  be  recommended  for  adoption?  (3)  Can 
the  county  be  reasonably  expected  to  finance  a  program  such  as 
agreed  upon  b}’  the  committee  without  undue  financial  strain  or  over- 
burdensome  taxation? 

SOME  FINDINGS  OF  THE  PRELIMINARY  STUDY  OF  GENERAL 

AND  SCHOOL  CONDITIONS. 

The  answer  to  the  first  question  necessitates  a  brief  survey  of 
general  and  school  conditions  in  the  county. 

General  conditions. — Beaufort  County  is  situated  near  the  At¬ 
lantic  coast  about  midway  between  the  north  and  south  boundaries 
of  the  State.  It  extends  approximately  40  miles  along  both  sides 
of  the  Pamlico  River,  running  from  northwest  to  southeast;  and 
measures  approximately  20  miles  from  the  northern  to  the  southern 
boundary.  The  river  divides  the  county  into  two  separate  sections 
approximately  equal  in  size.  It  varies  from  1  to  more  than  5  miles 
in  width,  and*^  is  spanned  by  one  bridge  only,  located  at  Washington 
City,  the  county  seat,  at  the  extreme  western  border. 


1 


2 


CONSOLIDATING  THE  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


Besides  this  natural  barrier  the  county  is  broken  up  into  sections 
because  of  swamps,  some  large,  some  small,  but  found  in  all  sections 
of  the  county.  Probably  not  less  than  one-quarter  of  the  total  area 
of  the  county  is  in  swamp  land.  Separating  the  swamps  are  ridges, 
savannas,  uncultivated  timber  tracts,  and  “  cut-over  ”  land.  These 
tracts  vary  from  a  few  feet  to  67  feet  above  sea  level.  Much  of  the 
county  is  only  a  few  feet  above  the  water  table.  On  the  ridges  and 
in  the  clearings  between  swamps  and  uncultivated  timber  tracts,  the 
people  live  and  the  children  to  be  educated  are  found.  It  follows 
from  the  contour  of  the  county  and  because  of  poor  roads  which 
have  prevailed  until  very  recently,  that  the  people  live  in  small  iso¬ 
lated  communities  and  the  children  attend  school  in  relatively  small 
school  groups.  At  present,  however,  good  roads  are  being  extended 
throughout  the  county. 

Since  agriculture  is  and  will  doubtless  continue  to  be  the  most  im¬ 
portant  occupation,  and  the  one  which  the  majority  of  the  people 
follow,  the  future  of  the  farm  population  and  the  education  of  farm 
children  are  of  special  importance.  Lumbering  and  fishing  are  minor 
occupations,  and  because  of  the  fine  harbors  afforded  by  the  river 
commercial  pursuits  are  followed  by  a  limited  number.  Better 
development  of  water  transportation  for  farm  products  seems  prob¬ 
able.  Cotton,  tobacco,  and  corn  are  the  principal  crops;  truck  gar¬ 
dening  and  dairying  are  also  important. 

School  attendance, — The  school  population  ^  of  the  county,  not  in¬ 
cluding  independent  districts,  is  6,459;  the  enrollment,  4,445;  and 
the  average  daily  attendance,  3,291.  There  are  67  school  buildings, 
of  which  23  are  one-teacher;  20,  two-teacher;  8,  three-teacher;  and 
4,  four-teacher  schools.  The  remaining  12  have  more  than  four 
teachers.  Of  the  23  one-teacher  schools,  11  are  in  Chocowinity 
Township.^  Besides  the  county  school  system  there  are  three  inde¬ 
pendent  districts — ^Washington  City,  with  a  population  of  6,314; 
Belle  Haven,  with  a  population  of  1,816;  and  Aurora,  with  a  popula¬ 
tion  of  524. 

Of  the  67  schools  in  the  county,  all  but  10  have  six  months’  terms ; 
3  have  eight  months  and  1  nine  months  school  during  the  year. 
About  90  per  cent  of  the  children  have  access  to  a  school  term  of  six 
months  only.  The  standard  term  throughout  the  country,  as  also  in 
the  independent  districts  in  Beaufort  County,  is  nine  months. 

The  inefficiency  of  small  schools  and  the  educational  handicap  of 
short  terms  are  aggravated  by  poor  attendance.  Apparently  the 
schools  have  so  slight  a  hold  on  the  children  and  their  parents  that 
the  meager  school  facilities  now  furnished  are  wasted  in  large  part. 
This  conclusion  is  the  result  of  an  examination  of  the  attendance 


1  This  report  concerns  white  children  only. 
*  See  Plate  III. 


3 


OF  BEAUFORT  COUNTY,  N.  C. 

record  of  approximately  700  children  for  a  full  school  year.  The 
results,  summarized  in  Table  1,  show  the  number  of  days  school  was 
attended  by  174  children  in  one-teacher  and  498  children  in  other 
rural  schools.  These  data  indicate  that  the  median®  child  enrolled 
in  two  or  more  teacher  buildings  attends  school  from  90  to  100  days, 
or  about  four  and  one-half  to  five  months  during  the  year.  The 
lo’vver  25  per  cent  of  the  children  enrolled  attend  about  three  months, 
the  upper  25  per  cent  a  little  over  five  months.  In  the  one-teacher 
schools  the  median  child  attends  from  four  to  four  and  one-half 
months,  the  children  in  the  lower  25  per  cent  group  two  and  one- 
half  months,  and  those  in  the  upper  25  per  cent  group  five  months. 


Table  1. — Actual  number  of  days  attended  by  672  children  in  Beaufort  County 

schools. 


Days  attended. 

Number  attending— 

Days  attended. 

Number  attending— 

One- 

teachor 

schools. 

Two  or 
more 
teacher 
schools. 

One- 

teacher 

schools. 

Two  or 
more 
teacher 
schools. 

Less  than  20 . 

13 

21 

80-90 . 

16 

63 

20-30 . 

13 

21 

90-100 . 

22 

63 

30-40.. . 

14 

24 

100-110 . 

21 

84 

40-50 . 

8 

22 

110-120 . 

27 

104 

.50-00 

11 

24 

60-70 . 

11 

24 

Total . 

174 

498 

70-80 . 

18 

48 

In  considering  attendance  as  a  factor  in  school  efficiency  our  con¬ 
cern  is  not  only  with  the  amount  of  schooling  secured  by  the  upper 
25  per  cent  of  the  children,  or  even  that  received  by  the  median 
child.  The  lower  25  per  cent,  as  well  as  the  upper  25  per  cent, 
must  be  developed  into  intelligent  citizens  and  safe  neighbors.  Chil¬ 
dren  who  attend  school  two  or  two  and  one-half  months  per  year 
will  require,  estimating  on  the  basis  of  the  standard  nine  months’ 
term,  four  years  to  do  one  year’s  work.  At  the  end  of  the  usual 
12-year  school  period,  or  at  the  age  of  18,  they  will  finish  the  third 

grade. 

Relation  of  age  to  grade  m  which  enrolled. — Another  considera¬ 
tion  supplementing  the  facts  presented  in  Table  1  of  significance 
as  a  measure  of  school  efficiency  concerns  the  age  of  children  in  con¬ 
nection  with  the  grade  in  which  they  are  enrolled.  Beaufort  County 
children  enter  school  at  6  years  of  age.  If  they  make  satisfactory 
progress,  at  7  they  should  be  enrolled  in  the  second  grade,  at 
8  in  the  third  grade,  at  9  in  the  fourth  grade,  and  so  on.  The  per¬ 
centage  of  children  who  are  enrolled  in  the  proper  or  normal  grade 
for  their  age  becomes  therefore  one  measure  of  the  effectiveness  of 

8  This  means  that  as  many  children  fall  above  as  below  this  child  in  days  attended. 


4 


CONSOLIDATING  THE  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


the  schools.  Table  2’  shows  the  number  and  ages  of  children  en¬ 
rolled  in  each  of  the  elementary  grades  for  745  children  of  the 
county.  [While  full  data  were  not  obtainable,  they  would  probably 
vary  very  little,  if  any,  from  those  given.]  Table  3,  summarizing 
Table  2,  shows  that  79  per  cent  of  the  children  in  the  schools  are  re¬ 
tarded,  that  is  too  old  for  their  grade,  one  or  more  years ;  that  only 
15  per  cent  of  the  total  number  of  children  in  the  county  are  ap¬ 
parently  doing  satisfactory  work  and  progressing  at  the  normal 
rate  of  one  grade  a  year;  that  retardation  increases  from  the  first 
to  the  sixth  grade,  where  it  reaches  the  peak  at  93  per  cent. 

Table  2. — Relation  of  age  to  grade  of  7^5  school  children- — Number  of  children 

of  each  age  in  the  different  grades. 


Grades. 

Years  of  age. 

Total. 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

1 . 

5 

68 

89 

60 

28 

10 

4 

2 

4 

270 

2 .  . ‘ 

1 

13 

17 

17 

23 

11 

4 

3 

2 

0 

1 

1 

93 

3 . 

13 

21 

25 

11 

10 

9 

5 

4 

0. 

100 

4 . . 

1 

I 

4  1 

~8 

24 

18 

17 

14 

18 

2 

3 

3 

113 

5 . . 

1 

9 

18 

12 

10 

1 

7 

4 

■  i 

71 

6 . 

3 

9 

11 

11 

5 

7 

7 

9 

1 

63 

7 . 

l"! 

3 

3 

7 

5 

9 

3 

2 

.... 

2 

35 

Total . 

6 

82 

109 

94 

89 

71 

50 

62 

55 

51 

18 

27 

17 

11 

.... 

3 

745 

Table  3. — Showing  per  cent  of  retardation  or  acceleration  of  7^5  school 

children. 


;  Years  of 
retardation. 

> 

Number 

retarded. 

Per  cent 
retarded. 

Grade. 

Per  cent 
retarded. 

Years  of 
acceleration. 

Number 

accelerated. 

Per  cent 
accelerated. 

1.. . 

172 

22+ 

1 

72+ 

1 . 

30 

4+ 

2 . 

162 

21  + 

2 

84+ 

2 . 

2 

.2+ 

3........ . 

95 

12+ 

3 

85 

3 . 

1 

.1+ 

4 . 

62 

8+ 

4 

87+ 

5..... . 

45 

5+ 

5 

85+ 

6 . 

27 

3+ 

6 

93+ 

7 . :... 

'  24 

3+ 

7 

88+ 

8 . 

5 

6+ 

Total . 

592 

Number  of  normal  age,  113+ ;  per  cent  of  normal  age,  5+ ;  per  cent  re¬ 
tarded  one  or  more  years,  79+. 

Median  child  retarded  two  years  according  to  grade  enrollment;  actually 
completes  seventh  grade  at  age  of  15,  with  fourth  or  fifth  grade  ability, 
according  to  tests  in  an  adjoining  county  where  conditions  are  similar. 

The  appeal  to  finish  the  school  course. — Another  measure  of  the 
efficiency  of  the  schools  is  found  in  their  ability  to  hold  children  in 
school  until  they  complete  the  full  course  of  11  years.  Table  4,  giving 
the  total  enrollment  by  grades,  shows  that  for  every  100  children  who 
are  enrolled  in  the  first  grade  in  the  rural  schools  of  Beaufort  County 


OF  BEAUFORT  COUNTY,  N.  C. 


6 


only  a  fraction  of  1  per  cent  are  enrolled  in  the  eleventh.  The  small 
high-school  enrollment  may  be  accounted  for  in  part  by  the  short 
term  and  inefficient  instruction  in  the  grades;  in  part  by  the  general 
indifference  to  education  that  apparently  prevails;  but  it  must  be 
accounted  for  largely  by  the  quality  of  instruction  and  the  kind  of 
course  of  study  which  the  schools  now  furnish. 

The  teaching  staff. — The  quality  of  instruction  given  is  admittedly 
the  best  measure  of  the  effectiveness  of  a  school  system.  Since  this 
survey  is  confined  to  the  provisions  made  by  the  administrative  board, 
we  can  judge  the  expectancy  only  by  the  provisions  made  for  secur¬ 
ing  good  instruction.  It  is  unnecessary  to  enlarge  upon  the  necessity 
of  securing  teachers  of  ability,  qualified  for  their  work  by  general 
education,  professional  training,  and  experience.  Such  a  staff  can  be 
secured  and  retained  only  by  payment  of  a  reasonable  compensation. 
The  salary  scale  in  Beaufort  County  must  compare  favorably  with 
that  paid  in  the  independent  districts  and  by  neighboring  counties 
with  high-class  school  systems. 


Table  4. — Showing  number  of  children  in  each  grade  for  every  100  in  the 

first  grade. 


Grade. 

Enroll¬ 

ment. 

Number 
enrolled  in 
each  grade 
for  every  100 
enrolled  in 
first  grade. 

Grade. 

Enroll¬ 

ment. 

Number 
enrolled  in 
each  grade 
for  every  100 
enrolled  in 
first  grade. 

1 

1  106 

100 

7 . 

312 

28 

0 

645 

49 

8 . 

146 

13 

Q 

468 

42 

9 . . 

63 

5. 5 

A 

577 

52 

10 . 

21 

1.8 

K 

472 

42 

11 . 

7 

.  6 

433 

39 

V 

_ _ _ _ 

The  salary  scale  in  Beaufort  County  is  the  minimum  prescribed 
by  the  State,  and  the  majority  of  the  teachers  have  the  lowest  qualifi¬ 
cations  permitted  under  State  certification  regulations,  and  conse¬ 
quently  the  lowest  or  among  the  lower  grades  of  certificates.  More 
than  half  the  elementary  teachers  have  not  completed  a  four-year 
high-school  course;  about  one- fourth  of  them  have  one  year  or  less 
of  high-school  education,  or  none.  The  salaries,  paid  by  the  mont*' 
and  based  on  a  six-months’  term,  are  correspondingly  low.  The 
median  salary  is  $70  per  month,  or  $420  per  year;  that  is,  half  the 
group  receive  less  and  half  more  than  that  figure.  Some  teadiers 

receive  less  than  $270  per  year.  (See  Table  5.) 

It  might  easily  be  untrue  to  say  that  the  present  staff  as  a  who  e 
is  underpaid.  Probably  as  many  are  overpaid  as  underpaid,  con¬ 
sidering  the  quality  of  the  service  rendered.  Usually  when  schools 
are  conducted  on  the  plan  indicated  by  the  six-months’  term  and 
$270  annual  salary  for  teachers,  much  of  the  meager  amount  siicnt 

63185—23 - 2 


6 


CONSOLIDATING  THE  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


is  wasted  because  there  are  no  real  educational  results.  It  is  not 
open  to  question,  however,  that  salaries  must  be  increased  and  higher 
qualifications  demanded  of  teachers  employed  before  good  instruc¬ 
tion  can  be  expected. 


Table  5. — Salaries  and  preparation  of  139  teachers. 


Salary  per 
month. 

Number 

receiving. 

Preparation. 

Salary  per 
month. 

Number 

receiving. 

Preparation. 

12 

N 0  high  school. 

1  year  high  school. 

2  years  high  school. 

Do. 

$85 . 

14 

S50  .... 

12 

$90 . 

5 

23 

$95 . 

8 

$G0 . 

11 

$104.50 . 

1 

$65 . 

$70  .  .  .. 

3 

17 

4  rears  high  school. 

Do. 

$100 . 

$10.5 . 

7 

3 

2  or  3  years  of  college  or 
2  years  of  normal. 

175  . 

10 

1  year  college  and  pro¬ 
fessional  work. 

$110 . 

3 

$133.33 . 

1 

$so . 

7 

Do. 

i  $175  (Bath) . 

1 

1  $222.22  (Panto- 

go). 

1 

1 

The  average  monthly  salary  of  teachers  in  graded  schools  of  Washington 
City,  N.  C.,  is  $143,  approximately  $1,270  per  school  year  of  nine  months. 

There  is  apparent  also  in  the  examination  of  the  salary  scale  a 
common  and  natural  but  mistaken  tendency  to  concentrate  the 
lower-paid  and  underqualified  teachers  in  the  one-teacher  schools 
and  in  the  lower  elementary  grades.  It  seems  necessary  to  call  the 
attention  of  the  board  of  education  to  the  necessity  of  having 
skilled  teachers  in  the  elementary  grades,  not  alone  because  skill  is 
most  needed,  but  also  because  satisfactory  progress  is  impossible  in 
the  upper  grades  when  early  training  in  the  fundamentals  has  been 
neglected.  Children  from  rural  elementary  schools  enrolled  in  the 
upper  elementary  and  high-school  grades  often  read  with  third- 
grade  ability.  This  has  been  proved  in  many  instances  by  standard 
tests.  Such  children  can  not  satisfactorily  do  the  work  of  the 
grades  to  which  they  may  be  promoted,  and  for  which  they  have  the 
necessary  intelligence  and  ability,  because  of  the  deficiencies  of 
their  early  training;  and  they  fail  or  leave  school  in  large  numbers. 
In  making  the  salary  scale  for  the  county,  therefore,  the  importance 
of  securing  qualified  and  professional!}'  trained  teachers  for  the 
primary  and  elementary  grades,  as  well  as  for  the  upper  grades, 
should  not  be  overlooked. 

School  supervision. — The  only  supervision  which  the  teachers 
of  the  county  receive  is  that  given  by  the  county  superintendent. 
He  must  divide  his  time  as  well  as  possible  among  the  administra¬ 
tive,  supervisory,  and  clerical  duties.  Experience  proves  that  when 
a  superintendent  is  forced  to  make  such  a  choice,  supervision  is 
almost  sure  to  suffer.  Administrative  and  clerical  duties  are  imme¬ 
diate  and  present,  and  even  if  of  less  importance  in  the  final  efli- 


OF  BEAUFORT  COUNTY,  N.  C. 


7 


ciency  of  the  schools,  can  not  be  neglected.  Supervisory  duties, 
therefore,  are  apt  to  be  postponed  until  other  demands  are  satisfied. 
Moreover,  it  is  a  physical  impossibility,  considering  the  number  of 
teachers,  the  size  of  the  county,  the  condition  of  the  roads,  and  the 
large  number  of  small  schools,  for  one  person  to  get  about  often 
enough  to  do  any  justice  to  supervising  the  schoolroom  instruction. 
Such  supervision  necessitates  far  more  frequent  visits  than  one  per¬ 
son  unassisted  can  possibly  make. 

Satisfactory  school  work  in  organization,  management,  and  in¬ 
struction  in  any  system  is  conditioned  in  large  part  by  the  adequacy 
and  quality  of  the  supervision  given.  It  is  particularly  essential  to 
securing  results  in  a  county  in  which  so  large  a  percentage  of  the 
staff  of  teachers  are  untrained  and  relatively  inexperienced.  To 
place  130  teachers  of  the  kind  referred  to  in  67  schools,  scattered 
over  a  wide  territory,  with  no  professional  direction,  is  tempting 
fate  from  the  standpoint  of  school  efficiency.  Centralization  will 
make  close  supervision  of  instruction  possible  and  enable  a  small 
administrative  and  supervisory  force  to  insure  a  far  higher  quality 
of  instruction  than  is  otherwise  possible.^ 

High-school  facilities. — Outside  of  the  three  independent  dis¬ 
tricts,  there  is  but  one  four-year  high  school  in  the  county,  located 
at  Pantego.  It  has  an  enrollment  of  82  pupils  and  four  teachers. 
At  Bath  three  years  of  high-school  work  are  offered,  and  at  nearly 
all  the  schools  having  two  or  more  teachers  some  high-school  sub¬ 


jects  are  taught.  In  several  of  the  larger  centers  two  or  more  years 
of  high-school  work  are  offered,  but  without  equipment  even  of  the 
most  meager  sort,  and  by  teachers  who  have  neither  time  nor  facili¬ 
ties  for  any  but  book  work.  The  building  at  Pantego  is  not  fit  for 
school  use,  considered  either  from  a  hygienic  or  an  educational 
standpoint.  At  Bath  and  Pantego  laboratory  and  library  facilities 
are  so  meager  as  to  be  almost  worthless.  No  prevocational  nor 
vocational  subjects  nor  work  in  the  “newer”  subjects,  as  music,  art, 
and  recreational  athletics,  are  offered  anywhere  in  the  county,  either 
in  the  elementary  or  high-school  grades.  The  curriculum  otfeied  is 
of  the  old-time,  narrow,  academic  type,  completion  of  which  admits 
to  college,  but  has  little  practical  value  to  boys  and  girls  entering 
other  than  the  professional  vocations  or  planning  to  make  business, 
farming,  or  home-making  their  life  work.  Except  for  a  small 
group  of  young  people  preparing  to  enter  college,  who  can  be  ac¬ 
commodated  at  Pantego,  the  county  does  not  furnish  secondary  edu¬ 
cational  advantages  worthy  of  the  name.  p 

It  can  not  be  too  strongly  emphasized  that  the  practice  of  per¬ 
mitting  small  schools  with  poorly  trained  teachers  and  inadequate 

that  of  unsupervisod. 


8 


CONSOLIDATING  THE  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


material  equipment  to  do  high-school  work  is  vicious  in  the  out¬ 
come.  Inevitably  such  work  is  maintained  at  the  expense  of  ele¬ 
mentary  work.  A  disproportionate  amount  of  the  teacher’s  time 
is  given  to  a  few  pupils  in  the  high-school  grades  at  the  expense 
of  large  numbers  of  pupils  in  the  elementary  grades.  The  result 
is  general  inefficiency.  The  high-school  instruction  offered  is  worth: 
less  or  nearly  so,  as  has  been  demonstrated  many  times  in  different 
States  through  standard  tests,  and  the  elementary  instruction  suffers 
materially.  The  final  result  is  that  the  people  discount  the  value 
of  education.  They  are  led  to  condemn  education  in  general,  whereas 
they  should  condemn  the  education  that  is  offered  them.  An 
enlarged  building  and  an  enlarged  teaching  staff  afford  possibilities 
for  improved  instruction,  but  do  not  guarantee  improvement  unless 
the  teaching  is  of  higher  quality,  and  unless  more  time  for  recita¬ 
tion  and  supervised  study  is  given,  and  a  program  enriched  by  new 
courses,  such  as  home  economics,  music,  and  health  studies,  and 
improved  material  equipment  is  provided. 

Buildings  and  equipment. — Careful  planning  by  competent  men 
is  an  essential  in  initiating  a  school  building  and  equipment  pro¬ 
gram.  Properly  planned  buildings  from  the  standpoint  of  the  right 
allotment  of  floor  space  per  child,  window  space  and  placement,  pro¬ 
vision  for  ventilation  and  for  heating,  are  essential  for  health,  com¬ 
fort,  and  conditions  that  make  good  work  possible.  Children  can  not 
work  at  a  high  level  under  physical  distractions  and  may  easily  suffer 
permanent  impairment  of  health  in  improperly  constructed  school¬ 
rooms. 

Good  planning  and  construction  are  essential  also  from  a  financial 
standpoint  to  insure  adequacy  of  materials  to  stand  the  strains  to 
which  they  are  subjected;  and  correctness  of  design  and  workmanship 
to  insure  strength  and  permanency.  The  country  has  wasted  too 
much  money  in  recent  years  on  poorly  planned  and  constructed 
school  buildings.  Flimsy  structures,  which  are  all  too  common  and 
must  be  replaced  in  a  few  years  are  fire  hazards  and  tax  the  children, 
and  through  them  their  parents,  enormous  sums  through  impaired 
ability  to  do  work,  through  respiratory  diseases  and  eye  defects.  The 
public  should,  and  is  coming  more  and  more  to  do  so,  condemn  short¬ 
sighted  building  programs  inspired  by  false  economy. 

The  present  school  plant  and  equipment. — Of  the  67  school  build¬ 
ings  in  the  county,  5  of  those  completed  and  2  in  the  course  of  erec¬ 
tion  may  be  fairly  considered  reasonably  good  buildings,  appropriate 
for  their  purpose,  and  planned  with  some  regard, to  sanitary  and  hy¬ 
gienic  conditions.  The  others  are  quite  unadapted  to  school  pur¬ 
poses,  and  some  are  even  a  menace  to  the  health  of  the  children.  Four 
walls  and  a  roof  do  not  make  a  schoolhouse.  Proper  lighting,  ven¬ 
tilating,  and  heating  facilities,  water  supply,  sanitary  provision  for 


9 


OF  BKAUFORT  COUNTY,  N.  C. 

drinking  and  washing,  sanitary  toilets,  cloakrooms,  and  the  like  are 
as  necessary  to  the  work  of  a  school  as  a  kitchen  stove  is  to  that  of  a 
home.  Work  and  rest  rooms,  an  auditorium,  playgrounds  with  some 
equipment  for  small  children,  and  athletic  games  for  the  older  ones 
are  as  essential  to  the  modern  school  as  a  kitchen  sink  with  running 
water  to  a  modern  home. 

Nor  are  buildings  the  only  necessary  part  of  the  physical  plant  es¬ 
sential  for  good  schools.  Suitable  equipment  is  equally  necessary ;  in 
this  the  schools  of  Beaufort  County  are  entirely  lacking.  Many  lack 
even  the  most  meager  necessities.  Blackboards  in  good  condition, 
reference  and  supplementary  books,  maps,  and  teaching  materials — 
tools  with  which  to  work — desks  which  are  adjusted  to  the  children’s 
size  and  suitable  for  school  work,  are  among  the  necessities  almost 
or  entirely  lacking  throughout  the  rural  schools  in  the  county.  Good 
teachers  and  good  buildings  are  largely  wasted  when  no  material 
equipment  in  the  way  of  libraries,  laboratory  devices,  wisely  selected 
maps,  charts,  etc.,  good  blackboards  providing  sufficient  surface  and 
properly  placed,  and  housekeeping  devices  are  not  provided.  As 
well  put  a  good  plasterer  or  brick  mason  to  work  with  a  wooden 
trowel,  or  a  skilled  surgeon  with  a  pocket  knife.  Failure  to  equip 
is  an  inexcusable  false  economy. 

Adequate  equipment  is  not  expensive  when  wisely  selected  by  a 
person  who  knows  sources  of  supplies  and  relative  values  of  items  of 
equipment  for  instruction  purposes.  The  State  should  be  called  upon 
freely  to  advise  in  these  matters  both  in  available  literature  and  per¬ 
sonal  advice  from  members  of  the  State  department  whose  duty  it  is 
to  know  and  advise  in  such  matters.® 

Substantial  school  buildings  which  are  artistic  and  Avell  located 
and  built  to  meet  modern  hygienic  standards  are  not  necessarily  more 
expensive  than  poor  ones.  It  is  a  matter  of  planning  and  the  exeicise 
of  good  taste  rather  than  of  money.  The  grounds  can  be  made  beau¬ 
tiful,  especially  in  so  favored  an  environment  as  Beaufort  County 
furnishes,  by  planting  grass,  native  trees,  and  shrubs,  witli  no  addi¬ 
tional  cost — merely  healthful  educational  work  on  the  part  of  the 
teachers  and  children.  Some  progressive  rural  counties  are  planning 
to  “  feature  ”  at  each  school  a  diflPerent  native  variety  of  tree  or  shrub 
In  attractiveness  and  upkeep  the  school  building  and  grounds  should 
compare  favorably  with  the  best  homes  in  the  community;  it  should 
furnish  standards  and  ideals  of  goood  taste,  cleanliness,  and  care  in 
general  school  housekeeping  for  the  children  from  less  favored  ones. 
Otherwise  poor  home  conditions  tend  to  perpetuate  themiselves. 

Conclusions  based  on  a  study  of  the  school  .y.^m.-The  examina¬ 
tion  of  school  facilities  offered  to  the  children  of  the  county  outsic  e 

5  Much  helpful  also  depnitments  wh^ 

specialists  in  school  buildin.?s  and  jxrounds  arc  empIo,ed. 

63185—23 - 3 


10 


CONSOLIDATING  THE  RURAL  SCHOOHS 


the  independent  districts  leaves  no  doubt  in  the  minds  of  the  ob¬ 
servers  as  to  the  desirability  of  a  change  in  the  system  such  as  will 
offer  all  the  children  (not  a  mere  handful  as  at  present)  modern 
educational  advantages.  The  child  born  or  reared  in  rural  Beaufort 
County,  who  must  receive  there  all  the  education  he  will  ever  have 
an  opportunity  to  get,  is  indeed  unfortunate.  His  chances  for  be- 
,  coming  a  creditable  and  useful  citizen,  able  to  participate  with 
intelligence  in  the  activities  of  life  around  him,  to  build  up  the 
resources  of  the  county  and  State,  and  to  understand  farm  and 
business  management  w^ell  enough  to  make  a  good  living  are  slight., 
If  he  has  average  ability  and  attends  school  the  average  time  at¬ 
tended  by  children  in  the  county  and  enters  school  at  6  years  of  age,.  • 
he  will  require  14  years  to  pass  through  the  grades  and  will  com¬ 
plete  the  seventh  grade  at  about  the  age  of  20  years.  His  chances 
of  entering  and  completing  high  school  are  almost  negligible^ 
probably  about  1  in  200.  Not  only  does  the  average  child  attend 
school  only  a  few  months  in  the  year,  but  during  that  time  he  is 
taught  by  a  teacher  practically  entirely  unprepared  for  her  work, 
in  a  building  with  no  equipment  and  so  insanitary  as  to  menace  his 
physical  welfare.  In  all  probability  he  will  leave  school  with  no 
education  beyond  that  usually  given  in  the  third  or  fourth  grade. 
Can  the  substantial  citizen  interested  in  the  welfare  and  develop¬ 
ment  of  the  county  expect  intelligent,  enterprising  people  rearing 
families  to  move  into  or  remain  in  a  county  which  offers  such  meager 
advantages  to  its  children? 

North  Carolina,  like  several  other  States  of  the  Union,  is  now- 
making  an  unusual  effort  to  eradicate  illiteracy  among  its  adult 
population;  yet  Beaufort  County  is  rearing  to-day  because  of  its 
ineffective  school  system  a  large  number  of  children  who  will  be 
illiterate  or  almost  illiterate  adults  in  the  future.  Mere  ability  to 
read  sentences  or  write  one’s  name  does  not  constitute  an  educa¬ 
tion  that  prepares  for  life.  Farmers  having  no  further  education 
than  that  equal  to  the  education  given  in  the  third  grade  can  not 
read  newspapers,  magazines,  and  farm  bulletins  intelligently.  They 
can  not,  therefore,  improve  in  methods  of  farming  or  of  hygienic 
living  except  as  they  learn  these  things  by  word  of  mouth.  They 
can  not  carry  out  health  standards  well  enough  to  be  safe  members 
of  the  community.  Experience  with  our  Army  during  the  war  proved 
that  such  persons  can  not  even  follow  directions  intelligently.  A 
school  system,  then,  such  as  exists  in  Beaufort  County  not  only  fails 
to  assist  in  eradicating  illiteracy  but  perpetuates  a  condition  of  near 
illiteracy  which  is  perhaps  equally  dangerous.  Children  now  grow¬ 
ing  up  with  no  preparation  beyond  that  given  in  the  third  grade 
may  be  as  helpless  to  themselves  and  a  worse  menace  to  the  world 


OF  BEAUFORT  COUNTY,  N.  C.  H 

m  which  they  live  10  years  from  now  as  are  adult  illiterates  in  the 
world  of  to-day. 

SoTne  essentials  of  an  improved  school  system.~lAit\Q  progress 
can  be  made  toward  improved  schools  without  an  effective  and  cen¬ 
tralized  system  which  will  enable  the  board  of  education  to  provide 
professional  administration  and  supervision,  a  staff  of  prepared 
teachers,  a  school  term  of  at  least  nine  months,  and  school  buildings 
and  equipment  which  make  it  possible  to  satisfy  the  demands  of 
modern  school  practice.  The  present  demand  is  that  the  schools 
train  for  life  in  a  broad  sense,  including  training  in  the  essential 
tools  of  knowledge  and  in  the  duties  of  citizenship,  for  the  success¬ 
ful^  practice  of  a  vocation  and  for  the  development  of  habits  and 
attitudes  which  contribute  to  good  living.  These  demands  have 
produced  the  present  program  of  studies  in  modern  elementary  and 
high  schools.  Courses  of  study  must  be  broad  enough  to  meet  the 
needs  of  all,  not  a  few,  of  the  children  in  school,  as  well  as  of  those 
who  have  dropped  out  of  school  with  insufficient  training. 

The  most  economical  and  effective  way  to  provide  such  advantages 
in  rural  communities  is  through  the  pooling  of  resources  and  group¬ 
ing  of  children  to  be  educated  which  a  reasonable  degree  of  cen¬ 
tralization  alone  makes  possible. 

THE  POSSIBILITIES  FOR  A  COUNTY-WIDE  CENTRALIZATION 

PROGRAM. 

While  Beaufort  County  offers  difficulties  in  the  way  of  centrali¬ 
zation,  they  are  by  no  means  insurmountable.  Unusual  progress 
is  .being  made  in  road  improvement,  both  in  hard  surfacing  the 
‘main  roads  and  in  building  and  improving  dirt  roads.  These  good 
roads  when  completed  will  make  it  possible  to  transport’  children 
far  more  quickly,  comfortably,  and  economically  than  is  possible 
now  or  has  been  possible  in  the  past.  T\Tiere  auto  trucks  can  be  used, 
they  are  usually  more  efficient  and  economical.  Wliere  roads  are 
not  adapted  to  auto  transportation,  wagons  may  be  used,  especially 
over  short  routes  leading  to  the  main  truck  lines.  This  particular 
kind  of  arrangement  is  now  successfully  practiced  in  some  southern 
counties. 

In  many  instances  it  will  be  cheaper  and  far  more  efficient  to 
build  short  board  walks  to  the  road  or  to  repair  roads  so  that 
wagons  can  travel  through  the  swampy  places  than  to  support  a 
one-teacher  school  for  a  small  group  of  children  isolated  from  the 
main  road.  In  such  instances  a  transportation  wagon  or  bus  may 
take  the  place  of  a  teacher.  This  will  be  true  in  regard  to  several 
of  the  small  one-teacher  schools  in  Chocowinity  Township,  for  ex¬ 
ample.  In  other  cases  no  saving  of  teachers  will  be  possible  by  cen- 


12 


CONSOLIDATING  THE  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


ti*alization.  The  tentative  estimate  outlined  below  indicates  that 
the  number  of  teachers  necessary  to  carry  out  the  program  will  be 
less  than  are  now  employed  if  the  average  daily  attendance  remains 
the  same.  It  contemplates  not  more  than  35  children  to  each 
teacher  in  the  elementary  grades,  not  less  than  3  teachers  devoting 
full  time  to  high-school  grades  wherever  a  junior  high  school  is 
maintained,  and  not  less  than  5  teachers  when  a  senior  high  school 
is  maintained.  However,  the  better  schools,  more  attractive  sur¬ 
roundings,  and  more  practical  school  programs  which  consolida¬ 
tion  will  make  possible  should  result  in  improved  school  attendance. 
This  has  been  the  effect  of  consolidation  very  generally  throughout 
the  country.  The  object  to  be  attained  in  Beaufort  County  is  not 
to  decrease  the  amount  now  spent  on  schools  but  to  increase  and 
improve  school  facilities,  to  get  better  value  for  the  money  expended, 
and  to  provide  educational  advantages  for  all  the  children  of  the 
countv. 


Table  6. — A  tentative  estimate  of  the  number  of  buildings  and  teachers  re¬ 
quired  under  the  present  and  suggested  netv  plans  of  organization. 


Number  of  buildings. 

Number  of  teachers. 

Average  daily 

Townships. 

Old 

plan. 

New  plan. 

Old 

plan. 

New  plan. 

attendance. 

Tempo¬ 

rary. 

Perma¬ 

nent. 

Tempo¬ 

rary. 

Perma¬ 

nent, 

High 

school. 

Elemen¬ 

tary. 

Richland . 

10 

6 

5 

22 

20 

18 

39 

517 

Chocowinity . 

16 

4 

4 

25 

18 

18 

421 

Washington . 

10 

4 

3 

22 

16 

12 

507 

Long  Acre . 

12 

2 

2 

25 

18 

18 

19 

546 

Batfi . 

11 

7 

3 

19 

21 

18 

93 

•515 

Pantego . 

9 

5 

5 

19 

18 

18 

59 

414 

Total _ • . 

68 

28 

22 

132 

108 

102 

210 

2,920 

Note. — For  the  permanent  plan  indicated  in  Plate  II,  22  buildings  will  accom¬ 
modate  the  children  now  housed  in  67  buildings ;  for  the  plan  indicated  in  Plate  I 
28  buildings  will  be  necessary,  of  which  6  are  to  remain  temporarily  only. 

The  accomplishment  of  the  consolidation  plan  recommended  pre¬ 
supposes  the  adoption  of  a  building  program  in  harmony  with  it. 
A  10-year  program  financed  by  a  bond  issue  is  recommended.  It  is 
important  that  the  educational  program  and  the  building  program 
be  in  harmony;  therefore  the  advice  and  counsel  of  specialists  in 
buildings  and  specialists  in  school  curricula,  methods,  and  practice 
should  be  secured  by  the  board  before  plans  are  matured.  The  State 
department  of  education  furnishes  this  kind  of  expert  advice. 

In  recommending  this  plan  the  possibilities  and  plans  for  roads; 
the  present  condition  of  school  buildings  and  equipment;  the  loca¬ 
tion  of  the  children’s  homes,  with  possible  transportation  routes; 


OF  BEAUFORT  COUNTY,  N.  C. 


13 


•economy  of  expenditure,  estimated  on  the  per  capita  basis;  and  in 
particular  the  general  question  of  school  efficiency  and  the  necessity 
of  making  high-school  instruction  accessible  to  all  the  children,  have 
all  been  carefully  considered.  While  grouping  children  in  large 
numbers  is  desirable,  there  is  a  point  beyond  which  centralization 
can  not  go  without  involving  long  hauls  that  keep  children  too  long 
on  the  road  to  and  from  school.  Young  children  in  the  elementary 
grades  can  not  go  as  far  as  older  ones  in  the  high-school  grades. 
Efficient  elementary  schools  can  be  conducted  if  there  are  children 
enough  to  make  possible  the  employment  of  three  teachers,  provided 
they  are  confined  to  the  first  six  grades.  Several  such  schools  are 
therefore  recommended,  usually  on  or  near  the  present  site  of  a  school  • 
and  located  in  a  developed  community. 

High-school  instruction  can  well  be  concentrated  at  few^er  centers. 
An  effective  rural  junior  and  senior  high  school  requires  a  minimum 
•of  six  teachers,  special  laboratory  rooms  for  the  sciences,  agriculture, 
and  home  economics,  a  good  library  with  reference  books,  magazines, 
and  periodicals,  in  addition  to  the  usual  equipment  for  academic 
work.  The  board  of  education  of  Beaufort  County  should  base  their 
program  of  development  on  the  State  outline  of  requirements  for  the 
best  type  of  high  school.  Such  schools  are  expensive.  '\Yliere  many 
are  maintained  the  cost  is  exorbitant  or  the  schools  are  inefficient. 
The  plan  recommended,  therefore,  contemplates  centering  high- 
school  instruction  at  a  few  centers  only.  The  teaching  of  high-school 
subjects  in  the  small  schools  should  be  discontinued  at  once. 

The  plan  offered  contemplates  also  a  centralized  administrative 
and  supervisory  force.  Without  this  the  whole  scheme  may  easily 
fail  to  accomplish  the  desired  end.  No  scheme  of  organization, 
however  w^ell  planned  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  physical  plant 
and  material  equipment,  will  give  satisfactory  educational  results 
unless  administered  efficiently  and  on  a  professional  basis.  Beaufort 
•County  schools  need  a  better  quality  of  instruction  as  much  as  they 
need  better  buildings,  longer  term,  and  a  centralized  system.  There 
should  be  less  book  memorization,  and  a  course  of  study  should  be 
worked  out  based  on  the  life  of  the  people  and  their  peculiai  and 
special  needs.  Unless  these  essentials  are  provided,  the  people  will 
not  have  full  confidence  in  their  schools  nor  renew  their  belief  in 
the  value  of  education.  For  these  reasons  a  staff  of  prepared 
teachers,  adequately  supervised,  and  a  system  administered  on  a 
,  professional  basis,  are  as  necessary  as  are  buildings  and  equipn.ent. 

The  complete  plan  for  centralization  recommended  is  shown 
graphically  in  two  steps;  the  first  shown  on  Plate  I  for  temporap^ 
adoption  leads  to  the  complete  plan  as  indicated  on  the  map  ot  the 
•county,  Plate  II.  Full  explanation  of  the  plan  suggested  is  also 


14 


CONSOLIDATING  THE  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


submitted.  Plate  III  shows  the  school  buildings  as  they  are  now 
located,  with  the  number  of  teachers  indicated,  as  well  as  the  loca¬ 
tion  of  the  principal  swamps,  the  location  and  condition  of  the  roads 
and  railroad  routes  within  the  county. 

It  is  not  believed  possible  or  advisable  that  the  complete  plan  be 
put  into  operation  at  once.  It  should,  however,  be  initiated  at  once 
and  gradual  advance  made  toward  its  accomplishment.  In  this  way 
the  county  will  be  building  toward  a  centralized  organization  which 


llM  bleola  -  aoboola  to  ba  abaadca»4« 
Poabla  Itaa  ble«X>  -  ajrprovad  eautara* 


Plate  I. — Suggested  plan,  for  temporary  consolidation  of  schools  of  Beaufort  County. 


can  be  administered  on  a  professional  and  business  basis  and  which 
will  offer  adequate  educational  facilities  to  all  the  children  of  the 
county.  The  board  will  have  the  satisfaction  of  perfecting  a  defi¬ 
nite  plan  arid  of  knowing  that  expenditures  made  in  conformity  with 
it  are  in  the  nature  of  a  permanent  investment.  When  the  plan  is 
fully  accomplished  there  will  be  11  elementary,  6  junior  high,  and  5 
senior  high  school  centers,  with  the  possible  reduction  of  the  seifior 
centers  to  4  by  some  cooperative  arrangement  between  Pantego  and 


OF  BEAUFORT  COUNTY,  N.  C. 


15 


Belle  Haven.  The  number  of  buildings  will  be  reduced  from  68  to 
22 ;  the  estimated  number  of  teachers  by  about  30. 

Explanation  of  Plate  I: 

Schools  to  be  abandoned  represented  by  blocks  surrounded  by  one  line. 

Established  centers  represented  by  blocks  surrounded  by  two  lines. 

Arrows  indicate  centers  to  which  pupils  are  to  be  transported". 

Broken  lines  indicate  a  possible  choice  between  two  centers. 

T.  indicates  temporary  centers  dnly. 

J.  H.  indicate  junior  high  school ;  i.  e.,  grades  7  and  8. 

S.  H.  indicate  senior  high  school ;  i.  e.,  grades  9,  10,  and  11. 

El.  indicates  6  elementary  grades. 


Following  is  an  explanation  of  Plate  I  by  townships: 

Richland  Toionship. — In  Picbland  Township  Aurora  is  obviously 
the  natural  center  for  school  purposes.  All  junior  and  senior  high 
school  children  should  be  transported  here  as  soon  as  arrangements 
for  transportation  can  be  made.  Later  the  elementary  children 
should  be  taken  here  also,  as  suggested  below.  The  district  should 
surrender  its  charter  and  become  part  of  the  county  system.  It 
would  thereby  be  enabled  to  build  up  a  stronger  school  and  partici¬ 
pate  in  other  advantages,  such  as  professional  supervision  under 
county  administration.  The  school  at  Spring  Creek  can  be  aban¬ 
doned  at  once,  and  the  children  taken  either  to  South  Creek  or 
Campbells  Creek.  These  two  schools  should  remain  as  elementary 
schools.  They  should  not  teach  more  than  the  first  six  grades. 
There  are  children  enough  to  make  a  good  three-teacher  elementary 

school  in  each  of  the  two  centers. 

The  school  at  Royal  should  be  abandoned,  and  the  children  sent 
to  Aurora.  There  is  no  justification  for  maintaining  two  schools 
so  close  together  as  these  now  are.  Every  consideration  of  economy 
and  efficiency  favors  their  consolidation.  The  Core  Point  school 
should  be  abandoned,  and  the  children  hauled  to  Edwards  or  Jewel 
as  soon  as  the  roads  will  justify  this  action.  Until  then  it  should 
be  limited  to  the  first  six  grades.  The  school  at  Bonnerton  should 
be  abandoned — the  elementary  children  taken  to  Edward  and  the 
high-school  children  to  Aurora.  The  Clay  Hill  school  should  be 
abandoned,  and  the  children  taken  either  to  Small  or  Edward.  At 
Edward  a  three-teacher  school  of  six  grades  should  continue;  at 
Small  a  junior  high  school  of  not  more  than  eight  grades.  Senior 
high  school  pupils— that  is,  pupils  in  the  ninth,  tenth,  and  eleventh 


grades — should  go  to  Aurora.  i  -r.  i  j 

GhocowiniU}  Winfield,  Blounts  Creek,  Redditt,  and 

Jewel  should' be  consolidated  at  Jewel.  The  combined  attendance 

at  these  schools  is  approximately  100.  An  efficient  four-teacher 

school  confined  to  the  first  six  grades  can  be  maintained  probably 

at  a  decreased  cost  compared  to  the  present  one.  Because  o  i  s 

location,  Gilead  will  have  to  remain  as  it  is  a 

It  should  be  confined  to  as  few  grades  as  possible.  The  oldei  ch 


16 


CONSOLIDATING  THE  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


can  be  transported  as  soon  as  roads  are  in  condition  to  Jewel  and 
Chocowinity.  The  school  at  Bear  Creek  should  be  continued  for 
the  present  as  an  elementary  school  confined  to  the  first  six  grades. 
Eventually  it  should  be  abandoned. 

A  new  school  center  should  be  developed  in  the  vicinity  of  Choc¬ 
owinity.  A  first-class  elementary  and  junior  high  school  can  be  built 
up  here  by  abandoning  the  following  schools  and  transporting  the 
children  to  this  center :  Williams,  Lewis,  Buck,  and  Hodges,  on  the 
Yanceboro  Road;  Haw  Branch,  Crow  Branch,  and  Taylor,  on  the 
Gray  Road ;  and  Ecklin  and  Moore,  on  the  Moore  Road.  The  present 
average  daily  attendance  of  180  pupils  can  be  taken  care  of  at  this 
center  with  at  least  3  fewer  teachers.  Eventually  a  senior  high 
school  may  be  developed  here.  At  present  the  junior  high  school 
grades  will  provide  for  all  or  nearly  all  the  children  eligible.  Senior 
high-school  pupils  should  go  to  Washington.  The  small  schools  men¬ 
tioned  above  are  nearly  all  poor  buildings  in  bad  condition,  insani¬ 
tary,  and  unfit  for  schools.  It  is  recommended  that  a  new  building  be 
arranged  for  at  Chocowinity,  and  this  plan  be  put  into  operation  at 
the  earliest  possible  time.  A  home  for  the  principal  at  this  center, 
large  enough  to  house  a  few  high-school  pupils,  would  be  an  economi¬ 
cal  investment.  Natural  barriers  are  such  that  there  will  in  all 
probability  always  be  a  few  high-school  pupils  living  too  far  from 
the  high-school  center  for  daily  transportation. 

Washington  Township. — In  Washington  Township  there  are  two 
natural  and  obvious  centers^ — ^Washington  City  and  Old  Ford. 
Washington  City  will  in  all  probability  remain  an  independent  dis¬ 
trict  so  far  as  administration  is  concerned.  It  is  recommended  that 
the  county  board  arrange  with  the  Washington  City  school  board  for 
the  education  of  all  the  senior  high  school  pupils  in  the  township 
and  all  the  children  in  the  elementary  grades  living  in  the  immediate 
vicinity,  as  suggested  in  Plate  I.  The  school  at  Pineville  in  this 
township,  and  Piney  Grove  and  Little  schools  in  Long  Acre  Town¬ 
ship,  should  be  abandoned  and  the  children  transported  to  Washing¬ 
ton,  whether  in  elementary  or  high-school  grades.  The  high-school 
pupils  above  the  second  year  living  on  or  near  the  Williamston  Road 
should  go  to  the  high  school  at  Washington. 

An  elementary  and  junior  high  school  should  be  developed  at 
Old  Ford.  Stallings,  Swainsland,  and  Singleton  may  be  abandoned 
and  the  children  transported  to  Old  F ord.  This  will  provide  an  aver¬ 
age  daily  attendance  of  at  least  200,  and  will,  with  the  junior  high 
school  pupils  from  Leggetts  and  the  upper  section  of  the  Highland 
school  district,  furnish  enough  pupils  to  maintain  a  standard  junior 
high  school.  The  school  at  Leggetts  should  be  continued  but  con¬ 
fined  to  the  first  six  grades.  The  building  at  Highland  is  quite  un¬ 
fit  for  school  purposes  and  should  be  abandoned  as  soon  as  possible. 


OF  BEAUFOKT  COUNTY,  N.  C. 


17 


While  it  remains  the  work  should  be  confined  to  the  first  six  grades. 
Eventually  the  children  should  be  transported  to  W^ashington  or 
Old  Ford. 

Long  Acre  Township, — Under  existing  conditions  it  is  unnecessary 
and  impracticable  to  establish  a  senior  high  school  center  in  this 
township.  Children  can  attend  at  Washington,  Pantego,  or  Bath. 
At  Pinetown  a  junior  high  school  center  should  be  developed. 
Bowen,  Windley,  Osborne,  Latham,  Jordan,  Fork,  and  Boyd  may  be 
abandoned  and  the  children  transported  to  Pinetown.  The  average 
daily  attendance  at  these  schools  last  year  was  319,  a  group  large 
enough  to  make  possible  a  strong  junior  high  school. 

A  new  elementary  school  center  should  be  developed  at  Beaver 
Dam  Cross  Koads,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Douglas  residence.  The 
following  schools  may  be  abandoned  and  the  children  transported  to 
Beaver  Dam  Cross  Roads:  Hawkins,  Woodards  Pond,  Magnolia, 
and  Broad  Creek.  The  average  daily  attendance  of  the  schools 
named  was  227  last  year,  a  large  enough  number  to  assure  a  good 
elementary  school  of  six  grades. 

Bath  Township. — The  natural  center  in  this  township  for  junior 
and  senior  high  school  work  is  at  Bath.  The  high-school  pupils  from 
Woodards  Pond,  Everetts  Cross  Roads,  Hunters  Bridge,  Webster, 
and  from  the  homes  along  the  swamp  road  leading  from  Huntsville 
to  Bath  should  be  sent  to  Bath  as  soon  as  possible,  preferably  next 
school  year.  Thesa  high-school  pupils  number  about  30  and  could 
be  cared  for  by  the  purchase  of  one  auto  transportation  bus.  As 
soon  as  the  building  can  bs  enlarged  to  accommodate  the  elementary 
children  now  attending  the  schools  named,  they  also  should  be 
transported  to  Bath,  and  these  schools  permanently  abandoned. 
Some  children  from  Woodards  Pond  district  in  the  elementary 
grades  who  live  nearer  Bath  than  to  Beaver  Dam  Cross  Roads  school 
should  be  sent  here  also.  Yeatesville  should  also  be  abandoned,  and 
the  children  transported  either  to  Bath  or  Pantego. 


A  junior  high  school  center  should  be  developed  at  Ransomville. 
A  new  building  is  now  in  the  course  of  erection  which  will  provide 
at  least  six  classrooms.  Later  the  children  now  attending  at  Wm- 
steadville  and  Sidney  should  be  transported  here,  and  these  two 

schools  abandoned.  . ,  i  ^  ^ 

At  Wades  Point  a  new  building  is  already  provided  to  care  tor 

n-f  fViP  Pamlico  and  Upshore  schools.  This  school  should 


18 


CONSOLIDATING  THE  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


PtNtTO' 


Cr^%M 


lertrOam 


CHQCOWINITYI 


fZ^ONVIUC 


'j^€f 


AURO; 


Compbat 


\  O  SMAC. 


Puiigo,  junior  and  senior  high  school  pupils  from  Terra  Ceia  and 
Wilkinson,  and  children  from  all  grades  at  Wrights  Savannah 
should  be  transported  to  Pantego.  The  last-named  schools  should 
be  abandoned,  probably,  on  completion  of  the  new  building  at  Pan- 
tego. 

Lynch ville  and  Haslin  may  be  abandoned  and  the  children  trans¬ 
ported  to  Belle  Haven. 

At  Upper  Pungo  a  junior  high  school  center  should  be  developed, 
with  children  from  Upper  and  Lower  Pungo.  Terra  Ceia  and 
Wilkinson  are  so  located  that  no  combination  seems  practicable.  Not 
more  than  six  grades  should  be  taught  at  either  school. 


0  hJi  y  t  o 

.  A  PANTECO  1 


A  IP 

0  f 

BEAUFORT  COUNT V 

SNAME  -  Jumor-Sirnor  Hi<fh  Schocis 
NAME.  -  Junior  Hiejh  Schools 
m  Nam^  —  C.l^mintcin^  Schools 
■—-1 ^  Hard  surf  aoocl roads 
—  —  —  ,,  ,p  hut^ 

• - g  —  /»  M  tprofycstc: 

-  — -  _  Orooci  dirt  roads 

— - - - - Railroads  and  tromroads 

Scale  —  1  mch  »  Z  milzs 
1923 


Plate  II, — Suggested  location  of  final  centers  of  consolidation. 


It  is  unfortunate  that  two  high-school  centers  are  located  so 
close  together  as  are  Belle  Haven  and  Pantego.  Eventually  con¬ 
siderations  of  economy  and  efficiency  will  probably  force  some  sort 
of  cooperative  arrangement  between  these  centers.  As  an  initial 
step  in  such  an  arrangement,  it  is  suggested  that  vocational  work 
in  home  economics  and  agriculture  be  built  up  at  Pantego  and  the 
academic  work  preparatory  to  college  at  Belle  Haven.  The  county 
and  local  boards  of  education  can  arrange  for  an  exchange  of  stu¬ 
dents  in  the  senior  high  school  grades,  cooperate  on  equipment 


OF  BEAUFORT  COUNTY,  N.  C. 


19 


needed,  and  secure  greater  efficiency  and  more  specialization  at  less 
expense  than  would  be  possible  if  work  is  duplicated  at  both  centers. 

THE  COST  OF  CENTRALIZATION  IS  NOT  PROHIBITIVE. 


Two  things  are  necessary  for  the  development  of  a  school  system  in 
Beaufort  County:  First,  a  system  of  administration  and  support 
which  will  equalize  educational  opportunities  and  tax  burdens;  and. 


second,  provision  for  more  generous  support  of  the  schools  in  the 
future  than  in  the  past. 

Under  the  present  system  of  school  support  there  is  a  county¬ 
wide  tax  of  39  cents,  which  provides  for  six  months  of  school  in  each 
of  the  62  districts;  salaries  and  qualifications  of  teachers  diffei ; 
only  in  the  length  of  the  term  supplied  by  the  county- wide  tax  are 
schools  alike.  Fifteen  districts  have  special  tax  levies  varying  from 
6  to  30  cents  on  the  hundred  dollars,  through  which,  in  a  few  of 
them,  the  term  is  lengthened  and  one  or  more  teacheis  employed  to 
teach  high-school  subjects.  In  others,  all  of  the  spivial-tax  income  is 
used  for  buildings  or  repairs.  Only  one  rural  distri^  provides  a 
nine  months’  term,  as  all  independent  districts  do.  le  resu  is 
the  inequality  of  educational  opportunities  explained  elsewhere  in 


20 


CONSOLIDATIJs^G  THE  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


this  report  in  terms  of  high-school  facilities,  school  periods,  prepara¬ 
tion  and  salary  of  teachers,  school  attendance,  and  similar  factors. 
Costs  of  education  based  on  per  capita  expenditure  vary  also.  Full 
data  by  districts  were  not  available  when  this  study  was  made. 
However,  in  some  of  the  small  schools  the  cost  of  elementary  educa¬ 
tion  falls  as  low  as  $10  per  capita ;  in  others  it  is  as  high  as  $40.  -For 
at  least  one  group  of  high-school  pupils  in  the  county  the  per  capita 
cost  last  year  was  approximately  $150. 

These  inequalities  in  educational  opportunity,  in  per  capita  ex¬ 
penditure,  and  in  tax  burdens  assumed  are  inevitable  as  long  as 
schools  depend  for  support  (beyond  the  minimum)  on  local  taxa¬ 
tion.  Wealth  and  income  are  concentrated  in  the  trade  centers;  chil¬ 
dren  to  be  educated  are  distributed  throughout  the  county.  The 
result  is  that  there  are  a  few  good  schools  and  many  poor  ones. 

Good  administration  is  almost  as  impossible  as  is  adequate  sup¬ 
port  under  the  local  system.  Each  small  school  is  practically  a  law 
unto  itself,  managed  in  large  part  by  an  inexperienced  and  un¬ 
trained  teacher,  with  very  little  direction  or  guidance.  School 
trustees  of  the  small  districts  are  sometimes  more  interested  in  re¬ 
taining  a  low  tax  rate,  or  none,  than  in  providing  efficient  schools 
for  the  children. 

The  local  tax  system  is  also  unjust.  The  trade  centers  depend 
upon  the  outlying  districts  for  the  raw  materials  of  trade  and  for  a 
local  consumers’  market  for  manufactured  goods.  They  are  de¬ 
pendent  upon  the  outlying  districts  for  their  financial  prosperity 
as  well  as  for  replenishment  of  their  population.  The  interests  of 
the  two  groups  are  common;  they  must  live  as  neighbors;  all  that 
affects  the  welfare  of  the  one  affects  equally  that  of  the  other. 
Financial  support  of  education  should  also  be  common,  as  is  the 
support  of  the  county  government,  the  building  of  roads,  and 
similar  necessaries  and  improvements  by  which  both  groups  profit, 
or  in  the  benefits  of  which  they  participate  equally. 

Whether  or  not  the  centralization  plan  recommended  is  adopted, 
the  people  of  Beaufort  County  must  spend  more  money  for  schools 
if  they  expect  to  give  their  children  educational  advantages  com 
parable  with  those  furnished  in  the  cities  and  in  other  progressive 
counties.  At  present  the  county  is  levying  the  minimum  main¬ 
tenance  tax  required  by  the  State  and  is  providing  the  minimum 
school  facilities.  In  other  words,  it  is  as  parsimonious  with  the 
education  of  its  children  as  the  State  laws  will  permit  it  to  be.  It 
is  among  those  counties  which,  from  the  State  point  of  view,  are 
well  able  to  take  care  of  themselves  educationally  since  it  is  not 
eligible  to  participate  in  the  State  equalization  fund.  The  present 
per  capita  expenditure  in  one-teacher  schools  is  lower  than  the 


OF  BEAUFORT  COUNTY,  N.  C. 


21 


average  for  the  State  and  only  about  one-third  that  for  the  United 
States.  The  salaiies  of  teachers  are  the  mininium  prescribed  by 
law ;  the  people  have  invested  in  school  buildings  much  less  money 
than  they  have  in  automobiles;  the  money  spent  for  school  main¬ 
tenance  is  far  less  than  that  now  spent  on  the  upkeep  of  automobiles.® 

The  cost  of  education,  like  that  of  all  things  else,  has  advanced 
materially  in  the  past  few  years.  Progressive  communities  are 
finding  it  necessary  to  increase  their  tax  rates,  and,  whenever  possible, 
to  find  new  sources  of  revenue  for  the  support.of  schools.  The  State 
of  North  Carolina,  appreciating  the  situation,  has  made  available 
from  State  funds  a  rotating  building  fund  and  certain  equalizing 
funds  in  which  Beaufort  County  can  share  if  the  necessary  effort  is 
made  and  a  county  system  of  taxation,  as  advocated  by  the  State 
department,  is  adopted.  The  county  is  fortunate  in  having  prac¬ 
tically  no  bonded  indebtedness  for  school  buildings.  The  old  ones, 
in  most  instances,  are  so  poor  that  any  loss  incurred  in  their 
abandonment  will  be  negligible.  The  county,  considered  as  a  unit, 
is  amply  able  to  bond  itself  for  suitable  school  buildings  and  tax 
itself  sufficiently  to  provide  a  reasonable  maintenance  fund.  In¬ 
crease  in  school  costs  is  inevitable,  because  the  county  has  been  remiss 
in  its  duty  to  the  children,  both  as  regards  buildings  supplied  and 
as  regards  school  facilities  furnished.  True  economy  is  not  measured 
by  the  meagerness  of  the  money  investment  but  by  the  returns  paid 
on  the  investment.  No  business  man  would  be  satisfied  with  a  return 
of  5  per  cent  if  it  were  possible  by  any  means  in  his  power  to  make 
that  return  10  per  cent.  The  county  should  not  be  satisfied  with  the 
present  small  return  on  its  school  investment  merely  because  the 
investment  is  a  small  one.  The  money  now  spent  on  schools  is  in 
large  part  wasted.  If  the  maintenance  expenditure  were  doubled, 
the  schools  should,  under  good  management,  increase  in  efficiency 
in  far  greater  proportion. 

The  scope  of  this  investigation,  made  especially  to  advise  the 
board  concerning  the  feasibility  of  a  county-wide  plan  of  school  cen¬ 
tralization,  did  not  contemplate  a  study  of  school  support,  nor  a 
comparison  of  the  cost  of  the  present  system  and  that  recommended. 
Such  an  investigation  requires  more  time  and  a  more  intensive  survey 
than  was  provided  for  by  the  board  of  education.  That  the  cost 
is  not  beyond  the  possibilities  of  the  county  is  evident  from  an  exami¬ 
nation  of  the  laws  of  North  Carolina  and  the  present  resources  and 


income  of  the  county. 

The  law  permits,  and  the  State  department  advises,  that  the 
county  unit  of  support  be  adopted ;  that  is,  that  the  county  as  a  whole 


®  Compare  cost  and  upkeep  of  2,173  auto 
value  of  school  buildings  and  maintenance 


vehicles  licensed  in  Beaufort  County  with 
of  approximately  $142,000  for  all  schools, 


1922-23. 


22 


CONSOLIDATING  THE  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


become  a  special  tax  district.  If  this  is  done,  a  tax  up  to  50  cents  on 
the  hundred  dollars  of  property  valuation  can  be  levied  for  the  pur¬ 
pose  of  lengthening  the  school  term.  If  the  county  board  should  em¬ 
ploy  teachers  who  have  one  year  of  normal  or  college  training  in 
addition  to  high-school  graduation,  the  qualifications  of  the  teaching 
staff  can  be  raised  materially  with  relatively  little  expense  to  the 
county,  since  the  State  will  pay  the  amount  necessary  in  addition  to 
that  raised  by  the  present  39-cent  levy.  Such  an  improvement  in  the 
teaching  staff  and  the  addition  of  two  months  of  school  which  a 
special  county  tax  would  make  possible,  together  with  the  employ¬ 
ment  of  a  supervisor  of  instruction,  would  at  once  put  the  schools 
on  a  far  more  efficient  basis  than  they  now  are,  at  a  total  expense 
equal  to  approximately  the  cost  of  two  months  of  school  over  and 
above  the  present  cost.  This  would  mean  an  approximate  expendi¬ 
ture  of  one  and  one-third  times  that  for  the  last  school  year  and 
involve  a  total  tax  rate  of  about  52  cents. 

The  law  makes  ample  provision  for  levying  such  a  tax  as  may  be 
necessary  for  refunding  bonded  indebtedness  incurred  in  building 
the  schoolhouses  recommended,  and  the  State  loan  fund  can  doubtless 
be  drawn  upon  for  some  of  the  money  needed. 

Considering  the  tax  valuation,  the  fact  that  the  county  is  now 
relatively  free  from  bonded  indebtedness  for  schools,  the  possibilities 
for  centralizing  in  such  a  way  as  to  promote  economy  in  school  ad¬ 
ministration,  and  the  favorable  laws  under  which  rural  schools  in 
North  Carolina  can  be  administered,  it  is  believed  that  Beaufort 
County  is  exceptionally  well  able  to  furnish  adequate  school  facilities 
on  the  plan  recommended.  Judged  by  practice  throughout  the 
country,  a  tax  rate  of  $1  must  be  considered  below  the  aver¬ 
age  for  rural  schools.  With  a  tax  rate  of  from  one-half  to  three- 
fourths  of  this  the  county  can  build  up  a  substantial  school  system 
adequate  to  meet  the  needs  of  all  the  children. 

SUMMARY  OF  RECOMMENDATIONS. 

The  following  recommendations  are  offered: 

1.  The  people  of  the  county  should  adopt  the  county  as  the  unit 
of  taxation  and  administration,  empowering  the  county  board  of 
education  to  provide  elementary  and  high  schools  for  all  the  children 
of  the  county.  The  board  can  then  proceed  to  establish  a  county 
system  with  reasonably  uniform  school  facilities  throughout,  sup¬ 
ported  in  the  main  by  a  county-wide  tax. 

2.  The  county  board  of  education  should  adopt  a  county-wide  plan 
for  centralization,  beginning  gradually  and  working  toward  the  ulti¬ 
mate  realization  of  the  plan  outlined  in  this  report. 


23 


OF  BEAUFORT  COUNTY,  N.  C. 

3.  The  board  should  initiate  a  complete  building  program  for  the 
county  extending  over  a  period  of  years,  financed  by  bond  issue  which 
will  enable  the  county  to  participate  also  in  the  State  bond  loan.  The 
program  should  be  worked  out  with  a  view  to  accessibility  of  build¬ 
ings,  organization  of  children  in  as  large  groups  as  possible,  economy 
in  transportation,  convenience  in  supervision,  and  like  economic  and 
educational  factors.  No  teacher  should  have  responsibility  for  teach¬ 
ing  more  than  two  grades.  High-school  work  should  be  designated 
only  at  centers  having  at  least  75  pupils  of  high-school  grade  in  at¬ 
tendance.  The  building  and  centralizing  programs  will  in  the 
main  parallel  each  other. 

4.  An  adequate  staff  should  be  provided  for  the  county  superin¬ 
tendent.  In  a  county  as  large  as  Beaufort  the  superintendent  should 
devote  most  of  his  time  to  administrative  duties.  He  should  have 
adequate  clerical  assistance  and  at  least  one  supervisor  working  under 
his  direction.  The  expenditure  of  large  sums  of  money  on  buildings 
and  maintenance,  as  well  as  the  responsibility  for  the  educational 
welfare  of  several  thousand  children,  are  involved  in  the  manage¬ 
ment  of  the  school  system.  A  high  quality  of  professional  skill,  suc¬ 
cessful  school  experience,  as  well  as  ability  and  good  judgment,  are 
essential,  or  else  satisfactory  results  need  not  be  expected.  The  sal¬ 
aries  should  be  large  enough  to  secure  and  retain  the  services  of 
qualified,  professionally  prepared  officers. 

5.  The  board  should  establish  a  nine  months’  term  as  soon  as  pos¬ 
sible.  If  necessary,  the  present  term  may  be  extended  one  month  each 
year.  No  time  should  be  lost  unnecessarily,  however,  in  giving  the 
children  the  advantages  of  a  nine  months’  school  term.  This  is  neces¬ 
sary  not  only  to  accomplish  the  work  prescribed  by  the  State  course 
of  study,  but  because  good  teachers  think  in  terms  of  an  annual  salary 
and  prefer  to  work  on  that  basis. 

The  above  are  immediate  necessities.  The  establishment  of  an  effi¬ 
cient  school  system  is  the  work  of  years,  not  months.  By  providing 
the  basis  for  a  system  in  administrative  organization,  material  equip¬ 
ment,  and  teaching  staff  as  indicated,  the  board  lays  the  foundation. 
Building  up  the  system  then  becomes  the  work  of  the  professional 
staff  carrying  out  the  general  policies  of  the  board  of  education. 


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